[Ipg-smz] Thoughts on a Career Pause

[Sharon Fisher]

I took a few years off. I was a Gartner analyst, remote, and after I got
divorced I started a masters in public administration, which is like an MBA
for government. After Gartner laid me off, I was a full time student for a
year while I finished my degree (plus two graduate certificates). Then I
tried to get a job in the field, where I found myself competing with 40
people for $30,000 jobs. I also ran for the Legislature and lost.

By then I was ready to go back to freelancing, and I gradually picked up
technology clients again (thank you, Esther). But now I can write about
governmental things and economic development and such.

If it were me, I'd look for things  that I enjoy and work on getting
bylines about those things. For example, when I have time, I want to start
writing more for college alumni magazines and for regional/travel
magazines.

Do you have six months of savings? That's how I survived some pretty lean
years.

On Wed, May 29, 2019, 8:04 AM Liam Kelly <ljkelly1888 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hey all,
>
> I'm thinking to leave my position as editor of a crypto-centric blog to
> pursue a few different options.
>
> Likely I won't find anything as well-paid as this for a few months, but
> I've been at this publication for a few years now and I have the impression
> it's time for a bit of progress.
>
> The idea is to leave editing to the side and gather as many bylines as
> possible in hopes of landing a staff position at a larger publication.
>
> But I was curious about a few things:
>
> - If not writing, what other skills would *you* develop during a similar
> break?
> - Am I crazy to leave a position in which I'm paid a flat rate to both
> write and edit?
> - And, finally, any general thoughts on some personal experiences related
> to this subject.
>
> I've got savings, a handful of smaller clients that I've been working
> with, and a dreadful feeling of stagnation. All of this has culminated in
> this plan.
>
> Thanks in advance for any suggestions, relevant stories, and/or links to
> things I should read before making the "leap."
>
> Best,
>
> Liam J. Kelly
> --
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>
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